Big-bang spot-fixing probe may go out with a whimper

Police sources said investigations into the T20 League would only scratch the surface and not touch prominent figures associated with Indian cricket, or those who are core to the scandal. Presley Thomas and Jatin Anand report. Web of deceit

The clamour over the spot-fixing scandal will gradually die down and would have little progress as far as arrests or investigations are concerned, believe Mumbai Police officials, who are heading one part of the investigation that has held the nation rivetted.

Police sources said investigations into the Twenty20 League would only scratch the surface and not touch prominent figures associated with Indian cricket, or those who are core to the scandal.

It is just over a fortnight since Delhi Police arrested Rajasthan Royals' S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila.

They are confident of filing the charge sheet within 90 days and believe they have built a strong case although the Capital's force is yet to file a charge sheet in the 2000 match-fixing scandal which they unearthed. Web of deceit

The Mumbai crime branch's current investigation stands on a feeble ground with little headway having been made in tracing the money trail with no proof yet of any financial transactions between arrested Chennai Super Kings boss Gurunath Meiyappan, BCCI president N Srinivasan's son-in-law, and Bollywood actor Vindoo Dara Singh.

"Do you really believe that only Sreesanth was involved in spot-fixing?" asked a senior Mumbai officer, requesting anonymity.

The hint of rivalry between the Delhi Police and Mumbai crime branch is obvious. Delhi officials insist their case is "more likely to stand judicial scrutiny".

In the first temporary reprieve for an accused, a Delhi court granted conditional bail to Chavan for a week, to get married on June 2. He will have to surrender on June 6.